If you are a carer for a person living with dementia then this is a course for you.

When it comes to understanding and supporting a person living with dementia, family carers are very often the most skilled and knowledgeable. Yet, you will know that carers can face a number of really stressful situations that can be difficult to deal with.

Get advice on connecting with and caring for someone with dementia

This course will provide you with knowledge and advice that can help you connect with and care for someone living with dementia. We will focus on everyday experiences that are seen as particularly challenging and stressful, such as combining employment with caring for someone living with dementia.

Newcastle University has great expertise in ageing and dementia research. We specialise in understanding dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), so this course will shine a light on some of the stressful symptoms and communication problems associated with this condition, as well as covering the challenges of other types of dementia including Alzheimer’s disease.

Meet other dementia carers and academic experts

Over the three weeks, you will meet other carers and academic experts who have developed strategies and practical steps that can improve communication - something which is crucially important for building and maintaining relationships, and for effectively negotiating daily life.

By the end of the course, you will develop a new understanding of:

• the brain and different types of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB);
• what a person with dementia is experiencing;
• challenging situations and behaviours that can cause carer stress;
• strategies for improving verbal and non-verbal communication.

This course is designed for the family, friends and carers of people with dementia.